Automatic cigarette lighter

ABSTRACT

The invention is concerned with an automatic cigarette lighter of the kind in which an actuating member works in an aperture in a top wall of the lighter casing and is urged to a rest position in which the aperture is effectively closed. An integral front end of the actuating member forms a burner cover and rests above the burner in the rest position. The rear end of the actuating member is inclined rearwardly and downwardly and the actuating member is mounted so that when it is displaced to operate the lighter it moves generally in the rearward direction to expose the burner and the inclined rear end of the actuating member moves closely beneath an adjacent surface of the top wall of the casing at the adjacent end of the aperture.

ate States Patent 91 [111 3,

Retzler June 18, 1974 AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER [57] ABSTRACT [75] Inventor: wlulam Remer wlckham England The invention is concerned with an automatic ciga- [73] Assignee: Colibri Lighters Ltd., London, rette lighter of the kind in which an actuating member England works in an aperture in a top wall of the lighter casing and is urged to a rest position in which the aperture is [22] Ffled' 1973 effectively closed. An integral front end of the actuat- [21] Appl. No.: 346,872 ing member forms a burner cover and rests above the [30 Fore. n A rcafon PH) Data burner in the rest position. The rear end of the actuatlg pp] n y ing member is inclined rearwardly and downwardly P 7, 1972 Great Bmam 8 Z and the actuating member is mounted so that when it 521 US. Cl 431/131, 431/132, 431/255 is displaced to Operate the lighter it moves generally in [51 Int. Cl. F23q 2/08 the rearward direction to expose the burner and the 58] Field of Search 431/131, 132, 255 inclined teat end of the eetuatihg member moves 56 R f d closely beneath an adjacent surface of the top wall of l 1 e erences the casing at the adjacent end of the aperture.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Cl 2 Dr F 3,603,709 9/1971 Retzler 431 255 Elms! aw! g Primary ExaminerCarroll B. Dority, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmBrisebois & Kruger I/ [V II 1111/ PATENTEDJIIN 18 m4 1! fl I III/III I FIG. 2.

AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER The invention is concerned with an automatic cigarette lighter of the kind in which the actuating member works in an aperture in a top wall of the lighter shell and is urged to a rest position in which the aperture is effectively closed so that the ignition mechanism and burner are concealed.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention an integral front end of the actuating member forms a burner cover and rests above the burner in a rest position and the rear end of the actuating member is inclined rearwardly and downwardly, the actuating member being mounted so that when it is displaced to operate the lighter it moves generally in the rearward direction to expose the burner and the inclined rear end of the actuating member moves closely beneath an edge surface of the top wall of the casing at the adjacent end of the aperture.

The construction of the burner cover as an integral front end part of the actuating member, as compared to the more conventional arrangement of a snuffer cap pivoted to the actuating member, reduces the number of parts and simplifies assembly.

The actuating member may be guided by means of a four bar chain or a cam arrangement but preferably it is pivotally mounted about a horizontal transverse axis positioned beneath the actuating member and closer to its front end than to its rear end. This position ensures that the burner cover part of the actuating member moves generally horizontally to expose the burner when the lighter is operated.

When the invention is applied to a gas burning cigarette lighter of the kind in which the burner incorporates a valve which is opened to release the fuel gas by raising of the burner head, the present construction of actuating member makes it possible for the burner head to be lifted to open the valve by an integral front end portion of the actuating member. This further reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the assembly since no separate burner head lifting lever and fulcrum is necessary.

conventionally in a lighter in which the actuating member moves backwards and downwards to operate the lighter thumb pressure is applied to a substantially horizontal upper surface of the actuating member adjacent to its rear end. With the present construction, particularly with the forwardly displaced pivotal axis for the actuating member, we find that the lighter is operated more easily and the feel is improved if the upper surface of the actuating member is angled upwards in the rearward direction from its front end to a ridge behind which the rearwardly and downwardly inclined portion is formed. Thumb pressure is then naturally applied to the front inclined surface just forward of the ridge so that the normal reaction between the thumb and the actuating member is in a rearwardly and downwardly direction substantially tangential to the path of movement of that part of the actuating member about its pivot.

conventionally a fuel reservoir tank is accommodated within the lower part of the lighter casing and the ignition mechanism, except perhaps for a flint tube extending up through the fuel tank, is mounted on top of the fuel tank. In lighters having a piezoelectric ignition mechanism, the piezoelectric unit which is becoming accepted as being most suitable, consists of an elongated guide into one end of which a plunger is pressed until a spring loading is suddenly overcome allowing a hammer to be released and to move under the spring pressure into impact with a piezoelectric crystal element mounted at the other end of the unit. In the early piezoelectric cigarette lighters incorporating these units, the units have been mounted lying horizontally across the top of the fuel tank. This is not entirely satisfactory however because the normal downward movement of the actuating member has to be convertedinto a horizontal reaction on the plunger of the piezoelectric unit and this has involved complicated mechanical linkages.

In accordance with a second independent aspect of the present invention, a piezoelectric cigarette lighter has a piezoelectric unit with an operating plunger which is engaged by a preferably inclined undersurface of an actuating member such that the plunger is depressed to operate the unit upon displacement of the actuating member. No linkage is the necessary between the actuating member and the plunger. The undersurface of the actuating member may be the underside of an inclined part of a top wall of the actuating member.

To reduce friction the plunger may have fitted over it a cap carrying a roller or ball which makes line or point contact with the undersurface of the actuating member.

The fuel tank, particularly when it has to be specially shaped to surround an upright piezoelectric unit, is preferably a moulding of synthetic plastics material. When this is so the fulcrum or pivot points for the actuating member may be integrally moulded with the'fuel tank as may an electrode holder for carrying at least one of the sparking electrodes adjacent to the burner.

An example of a lighter constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section; and,

FIG. 2 is a plan.

The illustrated lighter has a moulded plastics gas reservoir tank 3 to which is fitted an upper part 4 of the lighter casing provided with a top wall formed with an aperture 5. A lower shell part 6 of the lighter casing receives the tank 3 and skirt 7 of the part 4 as a sliding fit.

Mounted in the aperture 5 is an actuating member 8 a front end part 9 of which forms a burner cover. The burner cover fon'ns part of the top wall of the actuating member which curves rearwardly and upwardly through a front inclined actuating portion 10 to a ridge 11 behind which is provided a rearwardly and downwardly inclined portion 12 terminating in a locating lip 13. The actuating member 8 has side walls 14 formed with extensions 15 which are pivotally mounted on spigots 16 formed integrally with the tank 3.

The tank 3 is fitted with an inlet valve 17, accessible when the lower shell part 6 has been removed, a pressure adjusting valve 18 which is adjustable by means of a finger piece 9 likewise when the lower shell part 6 has been removed, and a burner valve 20. The burner valve has a head 21 which can be raised against spring action by means of a valve lifting member 22 formed integrally with the actuating member, to allow gas to escape through a burner 23.

The ignition mechanism is piezoelectric and consists of a standard unit having a cylindrical guide 24 containing at its lower end a piezoelectric crystal element and which receives at its upper end a sliding plunger 25. A moulded plastics cap 26 is a push fit on the top of the plunger 25 and carries a roller 27 which engages the underside of the inclined portion ltll of the top wall of the actuating member 8.

The actuating member is shown in the rest position in full lines to which it is urged primarily by the spring in the piezoelectric unit 24 which urges the plunger 25 upwards. To operate the lighter thumb pressure is applied perpendicularly to the actuating surface of the actuating member whereupon the actuating member pivots backwards and downwards to the dotted line position. As it does so the inclined portion 12 of the top wall of the actuating member moves closely beneath the edge of the wall 4 at the adjacent end of the aperture 5. Simultaneously the member 22 raises the head 21 of the burner valve and gas escapes through the burner 23 for ignition. Also simultaneously the plunger 25 is depressed causing a compression spring in the unit 24 to be stressed until a critical point is reached whereupon a catch pin 28 for a hammer rides off a cam surface 29 and the hammer is released to move under the action of the spring downwards into impact with the piezoelectric crystal element at the bottom of the unit 24. The high voltage is thus produced in the piezoelectric crystal element and this is discharged between an electrode 30 which is carriedby an electrode holder 31 formed integrally with the tank 3 and which is connected through an insulated conductor 32 to the piezoelectric crystal element, and the burner 23 which forms the earth electrode. This spark ignites the fuel gas leaving the burner 23 to produce a flame 33. When the actuating member is subsequently released the parts automatically move back under spring action to their rest position and the flame is extinguished.

I claim:

1. An automatic cigarette lighter of the kind in which an actuating member works in an aperture in a top wall of the lighter casing and is urged to a rest position in which the aperture is effectively closed so that the ignition system and burner are concealed, wherein an integral front end of the actuating member forms a burner cover and rests above the burner in the rest position and the upper surface of the actuating member is angled upwards in the rearward direction from its front end to a ridge behind which the rear end of the actuating member is inclined rearwardly and downwardly, the actuating member being mounted so that when it is displaced to operate the lighter it moves in the rearward direction to expose the burner and the inclined rear end of the actuating member moves beneath an edge surface of the top wall of the casing at the adjacent end of the aperture; and there is a piezoelectric ignition mechanism incorporating a piezoelectric unit with an operating plunger which is engaged by an undersurface of the actuating member such that the plunger is depressed to operate the unit upon displacement of the actuating member.

2. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the plunger of the piezoelectric unit has fitted over it a cap carrying a roller or ball which makes line or point contact with the undersurface of the actuating member.

3. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the undersurface of the actuating member which engages the plunger of the piezoelectric unit is the inclined undersurface of the front end or rear end of the actuating member.

4. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the actuating member is pivotally mounted about a horizontal transverse axis positioned beneath the actuating member and closer to its front end than to its rear end.

5. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the burner incorporates a valve which is opened to release the fuel gas by raising of the burner head, the burner head being lifted to open the valve directly by a front end portion of the actuating member.

6. A lighter according to claim 1, having a fuel tank which is a moulding of synthetic plastics material incorporating an integral pivot for the actuating member.

7. A lighter according to claim 1, having a fuel tank which is a moulding of synthetic plastics material incorporating an integral electrode holder for carrying at least one electrode adjacent to the burner. 

1. An automatic cigarette lighter of the kind in which an actuating member works in an aperture in a top wall of the lighter casing and is urged to a rest position in which the aperture is effectively closed so that the ignition system and burner are concealed, wherein an integral front end of the actuating member forms a burner cover and rests above the burner in the rest position and the upper surface of the actuating member is angled upwards in the rearward direction from its front end to a ridge behind which the rear end of the actuating member is inclined rearwardly and downwardly, the actuating member being mounted so that when it is displaced to operate the lighter it moves in the rearward direction to expose the burner and the inclined rear end of the actuating member moves beneath an edge surface of the top wall of the casing at the adjacent end of the aperture; and there is a piezoelectric ignition mechanism incorporating a piezoelectric unit with an operating plunger which is engaged by an undersurface of the actuating member such that the plunger is depressed to operate the unit upon displacement of the actuating member.
 2. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the plunger of the piezoelectric unit has fitted over it a cap carrying a roller or ball which makes line or point contact with the undersurface of the actuating member.
 3. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the undersurface of the actuating member which engages the plunger of the piezoelectric unit is the inclined undersurface of the front end or rear end of the actuating member.
 4. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the actuating member is pivotally mounted about a horizontal transverse axis positioned beneath the actuating member and closer to its front end than to its rear end.
 5. A lighter according to claim 1, in which the burner incorporates a valve which is opened to release the fuel gas by raising of the burner head, the burner head being lifted to open the valve directly by a front end portion of the actuating member.
 6. A lighter according to claim 1, having a fuel tank which is a moulding of synthetic plastics material incorporating an integral pivot for the actuating member.
 7. A lighter according to claim 1, having a fuel tank which is a moulding of synthetic plAstics material incorporating an integral electrode holder for carrying at least one electrode adjacent to the burner. 